


The Royal Strikers

by TheNewWorldFool



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Adaptation, Akechi Goro Gets Therapy, Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro Needs Therapy, Akechi Goro Redemption, Background Relationships, Black Mask Akechi Goro, Bonus Characters, Cameos, Canon-Typical Violence, Creative License, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dynasty Warriors-Style Violence, Established Relationship, F/M, Good Akechi Goro, Guest Stars, Gun Violence, HEE HO!, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Inaba (Persona Series), Jails & Monarchs (Persona Series), Let Sakamoto Ryuji Say Fuck, Loose Cannon Akechi Goro, Metaverse (Persona 5), Morgana (Persona Series) is a Little Shit, Non-Explicit Sex, Persona 3 Cameos, Persona 3 References, Persona 3 Spoilers, Persona 4 Cameos, Persona 4 References, Persona 4: Golden Spoilers, Persona 5 Protagonist is a Little Shit, Persona 5 Royal Compliant, Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers, Persona 5 Strikers Spoilers, Persona 5: The Royal, Persona Series References, Phantom Thief Akechi Goro, Phantom Thieves of Hearts as Family, Post-Persona 5: The Royal, Protect Sophia (Persona Series) At All Costs!, Road Trips, Sakamoto Ryuji Gets To Say Fuck, Sakamoto Ryuji swears a lot, Shadow-Selves (Persona Series), Shadows (Persona Series), Shumire, Skinny Dipping, Sophia (Persona Series) Is A Precious Cinnamon Roll, Sophia Is Ren and Sumire's Phone Daughter, Summer Vacation, Tatsumi Port Island (Persona Series), The Author Regrets Nothing, The Velvet Room (Persona Series), This is going to be fun!, What Did You Expect, Wild Card (Persona Series), Yay Violence!, lots of tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-20 16:54:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30007998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNewWorldFool/pseuds/TheNewWorldFool
Summary: When the Metaverse makes an unexpected return in the form of Jails ruled by Shadow-selves known as Monarchs, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are called back into action once more to reclaim the Desires stolen by these Monarchs from innocent people all across Japan alongside a very much alive Goro Akechi, as well as new allies, such as the mysterious and highly advanced AI known as Sophia, the intrepid Public Security Inspector Zenkichi Hasegawa, and even older, more experienced Persona-users such as the small town boys and girls comprising the Inaba Investigation Team, and even the government-backed Shadow Operatives, who might just have a job offer in store for the Phantom Thieves...A Persona 5: The Royal adaptation of Persona 5 Strikers/Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers. Includes special guest stars from Persona 4: Golden, Persona 3, and Persona 4 Arena games.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Amamiya Ren & Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Akechi Goro & Loki, Amamiya Ren & Arsene (Persona Series), Amamiya Ren & Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Amamiya Ren & Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Amamiya Ren/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Arsene/Cendrillon (Persona Series), Hanamura Yosuke/Satonaka Chie, Kujikawa Rise/Narukami Yu, Shirogane Naoto/Tatsumi Kanji, Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi & Cendrillon (Persona Series)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 52





	The Royal Strikers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. The New World Fool here. Thought I'd drop by and discuss some of my plans for this little project.
> 
> First off, my heartfelt thanks to everyone for their support. Since it's clear what everyone wants, this story will be my primary focus. Now then, I can officially confirm that I will be adding two additional locales and Jails to this story. The first Jail will be on Tatsumi Port Island, while the second will be located in sleepy little Inaba City. You know, I do find it rather weird how Persona 3 and Persona 4 barely get mentioned in Persona 5/Persona 5 Royal, especially with the Investigation Team having actually BEEN to Port Island. And in the canon Strikers game, even if there hadn't been a Jail in Inaba or Port Island, it would have been awesome to see the Phantom Thieves spend the night at the Amagi Inn or play some variant of the King's Game, or both. Although, to be fair, there isn't really much of a reason for the Thieves to stop by Port Island, unless it was to take a ferry somewhere. As it stands, the Port Island Jail will take place between the Sendai Jail and the Sapporo Jail. As for Inaba, right now that is looking like it is going to be after the Okinawa Jail.
> 
> Additionally, I have decided to use some creative license and give our Phantom Thieves a three month long summer vacation, like we have here in the good ol' USA. This is done in order to make sure that I can fit Port Island and Inaba into the story, as well as some quality bonding between the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, as well as being able to have the gang stop and smell the roses a bit more (and go skinny dipping in the AO3 version. Sorry, fanfiction folks, but there's a rule about things like that, and I'd rather not take my chances), as well as bond with the IT and Shadow Operatives a bit more, as opposed to just stopping, kicking the crap out of some asshole Monarch, and then getting out of dodge. Naturally, I have already gone back and modified the prologue accordingly.
> 
> Well, that's all I really wanted to cover. So, in the words of a certain God of Control, let us start the game!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING FANFIC CONTAINS MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR PERSONA 5: THE ROYAL AND PERSONA 5 STRIKERS. ALL READERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BY READING THIS FANFIC, THEY HAVE ALREADY BEATEN BOTH GAMES OR SIMPLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT BEING SPOILED. YE HAVE BEEN WARNED!

_Prologue_

_Shibuya Crossroads…?_

_June 18th, 2017_

Three shadowy figures lept across the rooftops, miles above the city streets, almost too quickly to be seen with any sort of clarity. That is, until they stopped darting about.

One of the figures was revealed to be a young man of around seventeen. He had frizzy black hair, dark gray eyes, and was clad in a black leather ankle-length tailcoat with a collar that reached almost to the top of his head, a dark gray high-necked waistcoat with gold accents, black pants, a pair of brown-black winkle pickers and a pair of red leather gloves. His face was concealed by black and white, birdlike domino mask.

The second figure was revealed to be a young woman with flaming red hair clad in a black mask with silver highlights and has a black ribbon tied to her ponytail, a strapless black leotard, a chain belt with two silver rose motifs and a rapier scabbard attached to it, a black choker, red gloves, a black bolero jacket with gold buttons, ruffled sleeves and three floor-length coattails, thigh-length hose and stiletto-heels that resembled ballet shoes on the tops.

The third and final figure was revealed to be a young man who seemed to be older than the previous two individuals. While much couldn't be seen of his physical appearance, this person was clad in a body-covering black and dark blue striped outfit with several black studded belts strapped around his legs and arms, a short, tattered black cape and clawed gauntlets, a dark enclosed knight helmet, with a black mask tinted red with red lenses in the eye holes that resembled a sharp beak.

_"Joker! Violet! Crow! Be careful! We got one coming up!"_ a young girl's voice said over a communicator just as the sound of a helicopter rotor reached their ears. A moment later, a very unusual looking helicopter that seemed to resemble a person with a white, face-like mask holding a very real gatling gun flew up and aimed directly at the man known as Joker before it opened fire.

Joker, Violet, and Crow immediately darted out of the way of the strange helicopter's gunfire and began sliding down the side of the building with the helicopter trying to catch up with them. Violet slid ahead of Joker and stuck her tongue out at him, causing Joker to shoot a devious smirk at her and try to catch up to her, while Crow simply smiled and shook his head before chasing after Joker and Violet.

_Some things never change…_ the black-masked figure thought as he and his comrades deftly dodged the helicopter's gunfire while continuing to slide down the building before Joker made a sharp turn and began to run directly towards the helicopter before he jumped, grabbed on to the airborne vehicle, pulled himself on top of it, before grabbing a hold of its mask and tearing it from the helicopter in what seemed to be a huge burst of blood.

The helicopter, now completely and utterly disabled, fell towards the ground. Joker managed to jump off the helicopter and land safely on the ground right before the vehicle crashed into the pavement and exploded in a fiery wreck. He was quickly joined by Crow and Violet as the doors of several police cars opened, and from them emerged humanoid figures with the same white face-like masks as the now destroyed helicopter, clad in security uniforms.

Looks of defiance on their faces, Joker produced a small combat knife from his coat sleeve, while Violet drew her rapier and Crow produced a blood-red serrated sword. As one, the three masked individuals pointed their weapons towards the strange creatures, issuing an unspoken challenge.

As though accepting the challenge, the creatures began to swarm Joker, Crow, and Violet, some of them bursting apart and taking the form of several different creatures that seemed to resemble fairies or jack-o-lanterns dressed up like wizards flying on broomsticks.

At that moment, another, boyish-sounding voice came in over Joker, Crow, and Violet's communicators. _"All right, let's begin the operation!"_ the voice declared before the young girl from before spoke up.

_"That was one hell of an entrance, there, guys!"_ the voice said. _"Just keep at it! Go ham until you've drawn every last bit of attention!"_

"Don't have to tell me twice, Oracle…" Crow said with a hint of bloodlust in his voice before he charged at the group of creatures, his sword slicing through the enemies like a knife through hot butter, fittingly so as the blade was sometimes shrouded in flames and what looked like darkness.

"Nice to see you haven't changed, Crow! In fact, the way the Shadows fight and attack here seems right up your alley!" Joker said as he joined the fray, his knife similarly covered in the same darkness as Crow's sword.

"Are you kidding me, Joker?!" Crow said with an exhilarated laugh as he tore through another batch of enemies. "This place is a fucking _playground_ for me and Loki! So many Shadows to rip, tear, and destroy!"

"Oh, boy, Crow's bloodlust is acting up," Violet said as her light-coated rapier cut through several enemies. "Just remember who your allies are, okay? We don't want any friendly fire accidents, be they an actual accident or accidentally on purpose."

Crow laughed as he cut through a few more enemies. "Don't worry, Violet. I'd like to think I've gotten better at differentiating friend and foe," he said.

"That's debatable…" Joker said under his breath before he saw an opening. "Everyone, now!"

On Joker's cue, the three masked individuals leapt into the air, grabbing a hold of their masks as they did so.

"Ravage them, Arsène!" cried Joker as a demonic creature that seemed to have a very tall top hat, a long-horned mask for its face, a cropped red eighteenth century-esque suit worn open with the collar popped, stitched heart designs on the shoulders, a white ruffle tie, a black tailed corset running down its torso, large, black, feathery wings starting at around the small of its back claws that looked like they could slice through steel like butter, red coverings on its legs resembling pants, and boots with blade-like heels, appeared in a blast of blue fire.

"Show them, Cendrillon!" Violet cried as an entity that looked to be a ballerina made entirely of glass and gold appeared in its own blast of blue fire.

"Take 'em down, Loki!" bellowed Crow as his own entity, a chaotic looking entity covered in black-and-white stripes with two horns where its eyes should be, four black and orange ponytails, and golden horse hooves carrying a sword that looked akin to a superheated pair of pliers appeared in a blast of red and black flames.

The resulting explosion of energy from the trio of Personas was tremendous to say the least. Not a single enemy was able to clear the blast radius of the attack. However, the trio of Persona-users didn't have a moment to catch their breaths as more reinforcements arrived.

As he and his friends dove back into the fight once more, Joker couldn't help but think back to how all this madness with the Metaverse had started once again…

_Tokyo Police Department-Meeting Room_

_June 13th, 2017_

A group of detectives and inspectors were gathered for a rather lengthy and boring briefing. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they would rather be somewhere else. Regardless, they continued to pay the utmost attention to every word said.

"Next on the agenda is the series of incidents involving unusual behavior in public," the presenter droned on.

"Hmph," one detective in particular, a bearded man with shoulder length black hair, crossing his arms and legs.

"First, we have the Vice-Minister of Finance," the presenter said as a slide appeared on the screen. "As you're all aware, during a Diet session Q and A, he had some sort of episode, and abruptly confessed to document tampering."

"Hmm…" a particularly austere woman at the front of the room said as the presenter continued.

"Soon after that, three Sapporo City councilmen confessed to bribery and publically resigned," the presenter said. "Next, the well-known author Mr. S. He held a press conference and announced that he was retiring from writing, returning his books' awards, and deemed his body of work 'garbage.' 

"Then, a newscaster got down on one knee, confessed his love for his co-anchor, proposed to her on live TV… and got shot down," the presenter continued. "Lastly… the Director-General of Criminal Affairs unexpectedly stripped off his clothing, and went streaking around HQ until he was successfully detained."

The bearded man in the back row couldn't help himself. He let out a hearty chuckle at the mention of the Criminal Affairs Director-General going streaking, but was unsuccessful at strifling it, catching the attention of the austere woman at the front of the room.

"Something amusing to you, Inspector Hasegawa?" she asked.

The bearded man, Hasegawa, cleared his throat. "Ah, no, sorry, excuse me," he said.

The presenter cleared his throat before continuing. "The vast majority of these incidents have been interpreted as nothing more than bizarre outbursts. However, time and again, every instance involves a sudden change in personality. Furthermore, none of the individuals involved had any known psychological issues before their incidents," he said. "Therefore, we can surmise that these cases are the result of an external influence."

This caused a wave of talking to occur amongst the detectives present. "Aren't these just coincidences?" one detective asked the presenter, doubt evident in his voice. "Are you really implying someone out there is using mind control?"

"The cases I've listed are only a small sample of this behavior, which appears to be happening across the entire nation," the presenter said.

Hasegawa let out a thoughtful hum. "Sounds like the Phantom Thieves to me," he said, causing another wave of discussion to break out amongst the other detectives once again.

"I want silence," the austere woman called out over all the hubbub. Once silence was restored to the room, the austere woman turned to the presenter. "Proceed with the report," she told the man.

"Thank you, Commissioner Kaburagi," the presenter said before continuing his report. "As you've realized, or at least as one of you realized, these cases are very reminiscent of last year's Change of Heart epidemic. The top brass have concluded that this is indeed the work of the Phantom Thieves, or at least, a copycat or copycats seeking to pick up where the Thieves left off."

A variety of shocked and surprised expressions spread out amongst the gathered detectives upon hearing this deduction. "What?!" one detective exclaimed while Hasegawa let out a thoughtful hum, the gears in his head turning at high speeds as he mulled over the facts.

"B-but what evidence is there?! No one's even established a pattern!" demanded one of the other detectives.

"And during the Change of Heart epidemic, the Phantom Thieves targeted criminals who were actively harming and taking advantage of others," another detective pointed out. "With half of these new cases, the only motive I can think of is doing it for kicks."

"And that is where you come in," Kaburagi said as she stood up to face the gathered detectives. "You will investigate each of these incidents yourselves, and you will do so as quickly as possible. What I expect from each of you are two things. One, to assemble enough evidence for a successful case. Two, to do so as quickly as humanly possible. The higher-ups are hellbent on closing this case. I do not know why, and it does not matter. All that does matter is producing results."

"Your suspect is Ren Amamiya, aka 'Joker,' leader of the Phantom Thieves," Kaburagi continued as the slideshow changed to a mugshot of a young man with frizzy black hair, gray eyes, and a very intimidating gaze wearing a Shujin Academy school uniform. "Show me a thorough investigation of his entire life. And if he is indeed up to his old tricks, you are to use any resources and methods necessary to take him down."

Hasegawa heaved a sigh of let out another thoughtful hum. "So, the Phantom Thieves rise again…" he mused.


End file.
